Men face off with shotguns over hunting location

FARMINGTON, Maine — Police say a Twigsnapper Road resident pointed his shotgun at a hunter who responded by raising his own shotgun in a standoff over the hunting location.

Alan Henry, 56, was arrested Wednesday on a felony charge of terrorizing. He was later released from the Franklin County Detention Center on $500 cash bail.

Police received a 911 call from the hunter who also lives on Twigsnapper Road at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Police Chief Jack Peck said Thursday.

According to the hunter, Henry was hunting with his dog and met the other hunter in an area off Twigsnapper Road. Henry told the hunter he was on Henry’s property and to get off it, Peck said.

The hunter was not on Henry’s property, he told Henry, and said he had written permission from the owner to hunt on it.

Police believe the hunter was on an 84-acre parcel that abuts Henry’s land and is owned by a man from Texas, Peck said.

Henry pointed his shotgun at the hunter who in turn raised his shotgun at Henry, Peck said.

“After more words were exchanged, the hunter backed down and called 911,” Peck said.

The hunter said Henry had a shotgun in one hand and a marijuana joint in the other, Peck said.

Henry claimed his Miranda right to remain silent and refused to speak, so police have not heard his side of the story. After obtaining a search warrant for Henry’s trailer, police retrieved the loaded, single-shot, 12-gauge shotgun that Henry carried, Peck said.

Although Henry was apparently bird hunting, the gun was loaded with buckshot, the chief said. Neither man was injured, he said.